White Sand
by Aifsaath
Summary: Arranged marriages were never meant to serve the couples but to countries. And your affection, your will, your wishes - nothing was important anymore...XXX... GaaHina romance
1. The Council

"Temari? Gaara? The Council is calling us," Kankuro said in a husky worried voice. He knew exactly what they would be told. His sister and brother knew it as well. They rose from armchairs silently and left the waiting room with Kankuro. They walked through the darkened passage and nobody spoke. Only sounds of their footsteps were breaking the silence.

Whenever they went to the Council they were quite nervous. But this time was the feeling far more vexatious because of the yesterday's incident.

_Don't those assholes get used to the fact that Gaara__ hates them calling him a monster? _Kankuro thought angrily and he was not sure who he was angry at more. Was he angry at the murdered ninja or angry at himself for not stopping his brother?

Kankuro scowled and held his gaze at the redhead next to him.

_Gaara, my brother..._

He tried so hard to change, really. After the fight against Naruto, Gaara had been literally obsessed with the idea that even a demon's container like him could _live_ needed and accepted as a human being. Kankuro and Temari offered him a help, then. Maybe they did it because of guilt that they had left their youngest sibling to fall to self-destruction. Maybe they did it because of a tremble of sibling love. Maybe. Seeing Gaara crying while apologizing – no, they were not able to be afraid of him anymore.

But villagers were. They passed him quietly as if he were infected with plague.

Kankuro cursed himself again.

_Why does Gaara still try?_ Kankuro could not get it.

If somebody had called him a monster two years ago, Gaara would have killed him without hesitation. He would have stepped over the corpse ignoring screams of the witnesses. But now? He would clench his teeth trying to ignore the terrified whisper. _Shukaku is here._

Neither Gaara with his patience could stand insults forever.

After ages it had been the first time.

_Will old Gaara come back?_

"We're here," Temari said when they finally reached the door. They entered.

There was a rectangular table in the hall. Akira-san, the most respected elder and stand-in of Kazekage, sat at the head of the table. On the right side was Baki, on the left Yuura. There were other elders whose names neither Kankuro nor Temari remembered. Everybody was sending them glares.

"Sit down, please," Akira said and pointed their seats on the opposite side of the table. They did.

"I guess you know why you are here," Akira spoke after a while. They nodded, and he continued, "It pertains mostly to you, Gaara-san."

"Yes, I know," Gaara said monotonously.

"So you also know that your behaviour is intolerable," Akira hissed. He was to go on, but Temari interposed.

"The behaviour of that cripple was intolerable, Akira-san! He was insulting him, calling him names. Should my brother have let him just be?"

"I believe that I am talking with Gaara, not with you," Akira retorted, then continued in speech where he was interrupted. "First of all, as the future Kazekage you should stop killing your potential subordinates. It should be clear to you. Am I wrong?"

Gaara was listening silently with a polite expression on his face. Not ashamed, penitent or angry. Maybe his lack of submission was infuriating Akira so much.

"We are not against punishing impudence," Yuura said. "To punish a daredevil is right. What _is not _right is ripping one of our chuunins to pieces right in front of the whole village."

Gaara remained quiet.

_If Hide hadn't provoked Gaara, nothing would have happened_, Kankuro thought as well as Temari. The guy surely had lacked an instinct of self-preservation. It needed such imbecility to stand in front of Gaara and to spit at him that _Shukaku's container had no right to walk among normal people_.

Most of the councillors agreed with Kankuro.

"I am not sure if there is any sense in entrusting you in the power after that... unfortunate incident," Akira said and stood up. He went to a round window and stared out to somewhere in the desert.

"Have you any problems with... controlling that thing?" he asked.

"I guess not."

"Was the murder of Wasabi Hide your own will, then?"

"If _an affect _can be calleda will, then yes. I willed to kill him." Gaara spoke quietly as if he was not very sure.

"So it is far worse. Losing your temper with the power you are gifted threatens us."

"It will not happen again."

"I believe that you mean it. But nobody can guarantee that it will not happen. Either you."

"You have my word."

"Shall we rely on it?" replied Akira and came back and sat down. "_Totally rely on?_ Please, Gaara-san, realize that you demand from us to give you the highest power in the village. But it seems to us that you are doing everything not to manage.

"Yes, you are the strongest ninja of Suna. But the strength only is not enough. The sake of the village must be your priority, not your person, not _your _interests, feelings, _affects_. It does not matter how much you respect someone, if the situation need, _you_ will be the one signing an assassination command."

Gaara understood.

_The Fourth Kazekage._

"_It does not matter how much you respect someone..."_

How much you love him.

_If the situation need__s, you will sacrifice your wife's life and a fate of your unborn child, to save the village._

_Did he tell the same to my father?_ Gaara wondered.

"Are you still willing to undergo this?" Akira asked.

"Did not I undergo this when I was born?" Gaara replied.

"I see you understand. But to answer your question – being a jinchuuriki is only a part of what you are demanded to.

Let's say that we forgive you... this time. After an interrogation of witnesses we have come to a conclusion that you should not be punished. At the same time we warn you off another... affects. "

Then Akira rose from his seat and walked to the round window again. He kept silent longer than acceptable.

"Akira-san?" Baki said.

"Oh yes... There is next thing to solve," Akira whispered. He returned to table then coughed. When he cleared his throat he spoke: "You three come from a noble family of founders of Suna."

"We know it, actually," Temari grinned.

"Indeed," scowled the Elder. "So you surely know that Akatsuki started acting. As if it was not enough terrorists, Orochimaru is going to act as well."

Temari said nothing. Still she had in her memory the sight at her father's corpse lying under the Konoha's walls.

She had seen lot of corpses. _Her friends, her acquaintances._ But nobody had stolen their faces from them.

She trembled.

"Who do you have the information about Akatsuki from?" Kankuro asked.

"From Sannin Jiraya," Akira replied. "I hope I do not have to emphasize how important is to strengthen the bonds with the other hidden villages in these times."

"Relating to our last... action with Orochimaru, Konoha wants us to guarantee the alliance," Yura said.

_Euphemistically__ said, _Kankuro thought.

_Maybe they want a hostage,_ occurred to Temari.

"In these cases we approach a certain way of solution," Akira said and held his gaze on Gaara.

"_What_ way?"

"An alliance marriage."

"WHAT?" Three siblings were totally shocked.

"It is very simple. A leader of a village marries a person who comes from a prominent clan of the ally village. Both sides take advantages. Our village will gain a quick help from the related clan and Konoha will be assured that we are no enemies," Yura explained.

Temari knew exactly who would be the one. She felt sorry for him. Her little brother would never be able to run from it.

"Gaara-san has a perfect opportunity to show us how much he is willing to do for Suna," Akira said.

Redhead's face was made of stone.

"If I understand it well – Konoha is not sure with our position no matter that we have helped them many times since the attack?"

"The council ordered it only once and Konoha cannot rely on good relationships between their and Suna's shinobis. Your friendship is not an obligation."

"So... What is your decision, Gaara-san?"

It was a silence for a while. Then he spoke.

"For Suna's sake... Everything."


	2. Procurers

A/N: Huh, sorry for making you wait. There were too much school duties. But- summer vacations are coming soon! Yahoo! Oh, and the story hasn't been beta-ed yet. Sorry for mistakes. Please, tell me of them.

Deep forests surrounded the Hidden Village of Leaves. Very few paths were there, mere deer-tracks, almost impassable leading through them. Although the forest seemed peaceful and calm, it was anything but that. The woods reminded of tangled mazes, dark and hostile.

Temari looked up at the fire-red maple treetops. They were on the road for two weeks. _Tired. _"Kankuro!" she shouted out loudly. Her brother turned to her, confused.

"What's up?"

"I need a little rest. I can't even feel my legs. Let's stop for a minute." Without waiting for an answer she sat down on a low branch and rested her back against the trunk. Sighing tiredly she dipped her hand into her bag and took out a couple of rice balls. Temari gave one to her brother and one started eating herself. They were eating silently for a while. Kankuro stared at the maple leave fluttering in a breeze.

Then he murmured: "I'm not quite sure, if the whole affair is so necessary..."

The leaf trembled.

"The Council commands it. And you know that nobody, who wishes a long and peaceful life, would ever ask Gaara to do such a thing, if it wasn't necessary. "She hazily laughed. It sounded forced and false. "I'm worried about him as well as you, Kankuro."

"I know."

They fell silent for a minute. The wind ripped off the leaf. It was gone.

"Still, I wonder, why Konoha didn't offer a reverse."

Temari nearly choked on rice. "I didn't have any clue that you want to marry Tsunade."

"Oh, how I adore her! She is a woman of my dreams!" he laughed. "I thought you know me."

"I think so," she grinned and wiped the rice off her face with back of her hand. "You've scared me, really."

"We'd better go, if we want to get to Konoha before dusk," he said and jumped off the branch.

When they finally reached the north gate of Konoha, it was already a late evening. Two village elders were standing at the gate waiting for them. They seemed quite surprised, when they saw who they were to deal with. "We expected someone older," one of them said.

"We are Suna's _jounins_, sir," Temari replied. "And we were appointed to posts of ambassadors in Konoha. Be sure, please, that we are competent to do this work."

"Oh... Indeed."

Then they all walked down the street to the administration building. Elders were silent for the whole time. Temari did not like the way they looked at her. But she said nothing.

_Don't forget the decorum_, she thought herself. _Stubborn complaining doesn't solve anything. _So she kept herself calm and only Kankuro could notice a little frown on her face.

"Finally you've come," Godaime said.

"Hokage-sama." They bowed down respectfully before they sat on their seats. Temari looked around the hall observing village elders. _I wonder,_ she thought, _why are the old people so similar to each other_. The very same wrinkled faces, hanging greyish skins and tired stares.

There were also men and women with blindly white eyes sitting on Tsunade's right. Temari felt their piercing gazes. Unconsciously she trembled. Kankuro grinned, as if he had read her thoughts. They actually know them, _the noble Hyuuga clan._

Hokage coughed. Everybody looked at her.

"We've got together to discuss the strengthening alliance bonds with Suna's envoy." She pointed at the Sand shinobis. The elders gave them mere glimpses before they turned their attention back to Hokage. "As discussed in the last meeting, we've offered an alliance marriage to Suna. Please, tell us the attitude of your council, Temari-san."

Temari spoke up. "Suna accepts Konoha's offer."

"I believe you have elected your new leader."

"Yes, we have." Temari nodded. "The council has already chosen new Kazekage and he agreed to the proposal."

"Who will lead Suna?" One of the white-eyed elders asked.

"Sabaku no Gaara," Kankuro replied.

"But he is too young to be Kazekage. How old is he?" An old woman objected. "Sixteen? Seventeen?"

"We're not here to question the election of Kazekage," Tsunade said loudly. "Does Suna have any conditions, Temari-san?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. Our council demands a noble birth and family political connections from the… bride. We will not argue if she is at the same age as Kazekage."

_I feel like a procurer… _Temari hated the idea of doing _this. _But she had no choice.

The oldest Hyuuga said: "There is one young girl of us meeting the conditions, Hokage-sama." A man sitting next to the speaker frowned. Tsunade noticed that.

"Do you disagree, Hiashi-dono?" She raised her eyebrow smiling at him. Hiashi stared at her not even trying to hide the angry expression on his face.

"As a father I cannot agree, but as a shinobi of Leaf I must."

Tsunade fell silent for a while. Then she spoke up: "I hope you all know that the final decision if she would or wouldn't marry Gaara depends on _her_." The clan members slightly nodded.

"I believe that my daughter will make the right decision," Hiashi said firmly. "She will be honored to help her village."

"Are you sure?"

"I am, Hokage-_sama,"_ Hiashi hissed. "I am going to bring Hinata here. Excuse me."

"Please," Tsunade gestured. Hyuuga narrowed his eyes but said nothing. He rushed off the hall never glancing back at them.

While Hiashi was being out, Kankuro made bold to ask. "Is the whole matter so necessary? I mean – why are you reassuring our loyalty when we have proved it thousand times."

Tsunade smiled benevolently at him. "Were the same motion raised four years ago, we would laugh at it. We took the alliance for granted. But the incident of chuunin exams showed us the tragic mistake. It cost us too many lives to fall into the same mistake.

"In such hard times we expect we must not let the matter get so far. You joined Orochimaru for your self-protection, didn't you? The lost of own positions was the cost of alliance with Konoha. Well, we should offer you more than the mere promise that we would probably help you in a case of need. "

"Kekkei Genkai," Kankuro guessed. "So you say that _you _are proving _your _loyalty?" Tsunade nodded. She narrowed her eyes a little, knowing that Kankuro did not believe her. Why would Konoha do anything so … _altruistic?_ No, they _were_ selfish, actually.Kankuro should learn about the beauty of indirect ways.

In case of attack on Suna, Hyuuga clan would be the first hurrying to help them. Only a lunatic would mess with such dangerous adversary and every ally would change their mind about refusing such soldiers. Breaking Suna any of options, they would lost support of so powerful clan – and that would be madness in situation of double threat from Akatsuki and Orochimaru. Considering the fact that they would let in a passive spy, it would be hazardous, too.

_And of course_, Tsunade ended her silent contemplation, _what husband would ever do such thing to his wife?_

"Hinata? You haven't had any bite. Are you OK?" Kiba said. But she was not listening to him. She was lost in her daydreams about Naruto. The boy could nothing but sigh turning his head to Shino. "Naruto-chan," he giggled.

"Don't tease her, Kiba. One more, please," Shino said to waitress

_Where are you?_ Hinata wondered, looking at the bowl of ramen before her. _How long will you be away?_ She _longed_ to see him, his grin, his goofiness, to hear his laugh and jokes. She was counting the days he was away. _Six months left_. Only six months and she would see him again.

"Hey! Listen to me, Hinata! Your father is here!" Kiba shouted making Hinata jerk.

A tall figure of her father towered above them; his face was pale and strict. Hinata did not like the unreadable look he gave her. "S-something wrong h-happened?" she mumbled.

"The Council needs your presence, "Hiashi said with a frown. "Come with me."

Finally Hiashi entered the hall followed by some subtle black-haired girl. _He told her nothing_, Temari realized. Hinata did not seem that she had a clue what is happening, she looked just curious and worried a little.

"Take a seat," Tsunade said. The girl hesitantly sat down and gazed at her superior like she was asking her for a hint about why she had been called. Temari felt almost sorry for her.

It was Kankuro's turn to make a proposal. With every spoken word Hinata was getting paler and paler. In the end, she was staring at them, frozen, as if they sentenced her to death.

"What is your decision?" Tsunade asked. Hinata opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She bit her lip. Her shock was too obvious to be ignored. Temari glimpsed a sarcastic grin on Hyuuga elder's face. _Asshole,_ she thought.

"I-I…" Hinata tried again to speak, but her voice was too quiet and trembling to be heard. She glanced at her father and her relatives – and she seemed even weaker, as if she was to faint.

Suddenly, Tsunade spoke.

"I give you seven days. Then we will ask you again. Now, you're dismissed."


End file.
